Method of making desk or like tops



Oct. 16, 1923. 1,471,026

W. AQGUNN METHOD oF MAKING DESK 0R Lm:v ToPs Filed June 14, 1922 Patented oaf 16, 1923..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

WILLIAM A. GUNN, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

METHOD OF MAKING DESK OR LIKE TOPS.

Application led .Tune 14, 1922. Serial No. 568,170.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. GUNN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, lin the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Desk or like Tops; and I do hereby declare the following -to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a top construction for desks, tables, stands, counters and like articles of furniture, and an improved method of making the same. This invention is concerned withvarious improvements in the construction and method outlined in my Patent No. 1,381,916, .issued June 21, 1921, for the production of tops of this character having a linoleum cover.

The gluing of the linoleum to the bed of the top sets up Various strains which have a tendency to warp the bed out of shape, it being extremely difficult if not practically impossible to get the top back to shape. especially if the bed is of any great thickness, being rigid and more or less unyielding so far as its return to flat condition is concerned after it has once been drawn and warped away therefrom. One feature of my invention resides in the production of a more or less flexible bed to which the linoleum may be securely glued, and which, if it should warp somewhat out of shape can be readily made again into proper shape, the invention as an incident thereto saving nearly fifty per cent ofthe lumber cost of material goingA into the making. And at the same time t e top is amply strong to withstand any service to which it may be subjected.

A second and Very important feature of the invention resides in the method used for applying the edge finishing strips to the top sures perfect contact with an absolute gluing of the strips and edges of the linoleum together at the points where, if there is any danger of separation, it would first occur.

For an understanding 'of the invention, reference may be had to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section through the top at one side thereof and the finishing or border strip which is used at the sides and ends to complete the top, the top and border strip being separated as before gluing the strip to the top.

Fig. 2 is a like View, showing the border strip glued in place.

Fig. 3 is an Linder view of the top, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side or end elevation of the top before the border strips have been attached.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures vof the drawing.

In the construction of the top, a hed of required shape is made consisting of a center 1 with upper and lower thin veneers 2 and 3 glued thereto for strength. To the upper side of the bed linoleum 4 is glued or otherwise permanently cemented. At the under sides of the bed, at each side and end edge, relatively narrow pieces of'wood 5 are placed and secured in place by means of screws, as

indicated at 6, passing upwardly through the parts 5 into the bed. These pieces are transversely slotted from the under sides nearly through to their upper sides at a number of spaced apart points, as indicated at 7. In practice, the pieces 5 are substantially three quarters of an inch thick, and the bed and linoleum together, likewise are substantially three quarters of an inch in thickness. Of course these dimensions may be varied for dierent conditions.

The .bed for the top thus made is cut to size. That is, the sides and ends are sawed at one operation. all of the wood and the linoleum being cut to a hair line at one sawing. This cutting is done with great care, the saws being frequently changed in order to make an exact and perfect cutting as close as can be done.

The top is completed by glui finishing border strips 8 which have a width equal substantially to the combined thickness of the parts 5, 3, 1, 2 and 4, and relatively narrow in thickness, as shown. The strips are dicated at 9, and correspondingly convexe'l on their outer sides, as indicated at 9a. The depth of the concavity at 9 is small, the drawing showing it in a much exaggerated form for purposes of clear disclosure.A In tact the deepest point in the concavity is but a thirty-second of an inch in the one and onehalt inches of width of the strip.

These strips are glued to and` against the side and end edges ot the bed and/linoleum, being clamped securely thereagainst with pressure suHicient to` straighten the concavity in the strips, this being readily possible owing to the relatively narrow thickness of the strips. and ll at the upper inner corner of the strip and upper outer edge corner ot" the 'linoleum arc pressed very tightly together and any slight discrepancies which may he p1 esent in the linoleum from the sawing are eliminated, there being a perfect gluing commiot' the strips and the linoleum all of thev way around the top, no possible indentations or cavities being lett between, which, while they might be filled with glue and be, apparently all right at first, would make the top defective and render it liable to breaking and separation in a Short time in use, with moisture and air entrance and consequent detel ioration of the linoleum.

By this method of construction, a very perfect top is made. The drawing of the glue coming from the gluing of the linoleum to the bed which might have a tendency to warp the top out of shape is not of bad effect'witlr the 'fiexible structure made,

as the same may be readily brought back to shape between suitable plates, the pieces 5 having suicient flexibility that they will yield and the bed being sutiieiently thin to yield the necessary amount. At the same time, the top is amply strong, table posts being. used at the corners of the top and attached to the ends of the pieces 5 at such corners, and for desks, the pedestals are di- It is evident that the points 10 rectly under said strips or pieces 5. The interior within the pieces 5 has no heavy strains to withstand.

/The relatively thin border strips S, concaved as described and glued in place make a complete finish to the top, their upper edges lying flush with the upper side of the linoleum. No line of separation is possible between the strips and linoleum, no entrance ot' moisture or air can take place. This invention has been in practical use for a considerable time and its value has been conclusively demonstrated.

I claim:

l. The method of making tops for desks or like furniture which consists in gluing a cover of flexible material to the upper side ot a top bed, cutting the bed and attached cover to size, and then gluing relatively narrow border strips having slightly depressed inner sides to the sides and ends of the bed and cover, springing the strips so that their depressed inner sides are brought into contact with the 4sides and ends ot' the bed and cover and the upper edges of said strips lie flush with the unper surface of the cover, Substantially as described.

2. The method ot' making tops for desks, tables and the like, which consists in gluing a cover of linoleum to the upper side of the top bed. cutting the bed and attached cover to size by a single operation, and then gluing relatively narrow border strips having slightly concaved inner sides to the sides and ends of the bed and cover, clamping the strips to the bed and springing the same in wardly so that said inner sides are brought into contact with the sides and ends of the bed and cover, and the upper i-nner corners of the strips are brought into intimate contact with the upper edge corners of the linoleum throughout the entire periphery of the cover, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

WILLIAM A. GUNN. 

